The Right Build

Promoting cost efficiency, environmentally friendly, and green technologies, house owners and builders are moving more towards an energy efficient home for the long haul of time.

Moving towards the green technologies and higher-end products to help with lowering cooling bills, preserve energy, and eliminate pests indoors, homebuilders are pushing these efforts. As for a homeowner, you might ask yourself “Is it worth it? Or Is it the right thing?”

The answer is yes, when a Maryland-based Baldwin Homes builder receive a National Association of Homebuilder’s NAHB Green Project of the Year Award for the single-family custom category.

This award-winning home stands within many eco-friendly homes built at Preserve at Severn Run community in Maryland. It runs off of the three R’s of stability:

• Reduce
• Reuse
• Recycle

The home uses one of the highest level National Building Standard as well as in energy and environmental design. Of course it’s Energy-Star-certified which helps the home to achieve about 56% better energy efficiency than a standard home, and 86% greater efficiency than the standard home was several years back.

Throughout the design and construction phases, the project was to exceed every code requirement because green building takes thought and time.

The home has reached the Emerald level because not only does it reduce the impact it has on the environment, it uses natural sunlight that minimizes heating and cooling. The right build was based on the location of the home and its setting. It was positioned in a way so that the front porch and backyard reduced solar gain the summer, which impacted the heat gain in the winter.

With the many energy-saving features, the latest utility bill was $143. This home is a 7 bedroom, 7,000 square foot home too. Some of the features include: LEED programs, energy award winning products, and resources surrounding the home such as trees and vegetation.

How did this home win the award for Green Project of the Year?

Here are some features that the house showcases to prove the right build for energy efficient homes:

• 2-inch thick concrete exterior walls with insulation of R21
• Windows with coating for sun defense and blinds
• Recycled drywall
• Zero VOC interior and exterior paint
• Open Cell foam insulation and Energy Star air sealing
• Solar hot-water system
• Two 2,000 gallon buried cisterns for irrigation and flushing

These are just some features that his award-winning home has to offer. Do you want to go green for your house?

Connect with Greenline Insulated Forms on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about ICF and energy efficient homes.